1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a highly extended, unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition mixture containing basic aluminum chloride. This invention also relates to a shaped article comprised of the cured, cross-linked, highly extended, basic aluminum chloride containing, unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition and to a process of preparing the shaped article.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art that a wide variety of extenders may be incorporated into an unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition. The particular extender material selected is dependent upon a number of considerations including strength, flamability, texture, cost, etc. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,191 describes a water-in-resin syrup emulsion which is utilized in the preparation of a thermoset annular sealing ring for a pipe connection.
A further example of an extended unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition is disclosed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,018 wherein aqueous alkali stabilized colloidal silica and, optionally, other reinforcing and non-reinforcing extender materials are added to the resin syrup to obtain a composition which possesses a low fuel content and a low flame spread.
In applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,011,195 and 4,013,614 a composition which also possesses a low fuel content and a low flame spread is obtained by adding aqueous alkali metal silicate and, optionally, other reinforcing and non-reinforcing extender materials to an unsaturated polyester resin syrup.
Yet another example of an extended, fire-retardant unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,008. The composition is comprised of an unsaturated aliphatic polyester resin, an aliphatic vinyl cross-linking monomer and from about 50 to 75 percent by weight hydrated alumina. Glass fibers may also be incorporated into the composition.
It has now been discovered that when an unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition is highly extended (i.e., above about 2.0:1.0, extender material to resin syrup), the viscosity of the freshly mixed components (i.e., the composition mixture) rapidly increases to the point where it can no longer be worked with conventional apparatus. The lower extended compositions possess the inherently dangerous drawback of having a relatively high fuel content due to the presence of a substantial proportion of resin syrup. This makes articles prepared from such lower extended compositions subject to burning and thermal degradation.